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All living beings are possessedof the nature of Buddha; so that there is reason to believe that every one without exception can become enlightened. This is my true doctrine, wdiich should not be doubted. However the temporary doctrine of expedients has been spoken by me for the purpose of leading men to the true path of the Sad- dharma-pu?zc?arika. Therefore the temporary doc- trine itself is true in some respects. The temporary doctrine is like the^lotus flower, and the true doctrine is like the fruit or seeds of the lotus. The flower is truly the expedient for the fruit. The exj^edient and the truth are unseparable. No expedient exists without truth. Ino truth appears without expedient. They are almost one, though numbered two. This is called the Lotus of the Good Law.' NlCHt-REN-BH^. 139 When Buddha spoke these words, the practisers of the three vehicles at once understood the truth of the one vehicle ])y the merits produced from their previous practice according to the temporary doctrine. So, even Devadatta and the daughter of the king of the Nagas or serpents immediately ascended the throne of Buddha. This is the form of preaching of the ' subordinate doctrine ' (Shaku-mon) of the Saddharma-pu^ic^a- rika, in which the ' temporary ' doctrine is explained to be expedient for showing the truth, and the three vehicles are looked upon as if they were only one. In the second place, the ^ open comprehension of the original and subordinate states of Buddha' (Llon- jaku-kai-e) is explained in the following way : — The state of Buddha to which /S'akyamuni attained in this world through the eight stages of his life (Has-so-jo-do), is called Shi-jo-sho-gaku, or the 'first accomplishment of the perfect enlightenment.' The term is shortened into Shi-kakti, or the 'first enlightenment; and this is the subordinate Buddha (Shaku-butsu). The enlightenment of /S'akyamuni here was only to perceive that he himself had been the Buddha of original enlightenment, the lord of the Dharmadhatu (Hokkai, lit* ^element of law or existence'), since very remote times. All Buddhas of the ten regions of the three times, past, present and future, are in the same way. During the 'tern- 140 NIOHI-REN-SHU. porary' teaching of the first forty years, /S'akyamnni spoke of himself as he first attained to Buddhahood in this world as it appeared to be so. But when he spoke the Saddharma-pnricZarika, he manifested his real state of ^original enlightenment,' as he was the Buddha of permanency and the lord of the whole universe. But no 'original enlightenment' is mani- fested unless the 'first enlightenment' has been at- tained here, just as the flowers and the moon of the former days can be understood only after we see those of to-day. Again we can know tbe Buddhas of the ten regions by seeing one Buddha only, and recognise that we ourselves are already Buddhas by hearing the state of other Buddhas. All Buddhas of the subordinate state are like the images of the moon reflected upon several waters, and only the Buddha of the original state is like the real moon in the sky. The 'subordinate' state is shown by the 'original' one, and vice versa. Though they are different from each other, their virtue is one and the same. This is called the Lotus of the Good Law. When Buddha preached this doctrine, the whole assembly of living beings of ten different worlds, who were present in the Dai-ko-ku-e, or "^ Great Sky Assembly,' u])on Mount Gr^'dhrakMx (Ryo-zen), attained to the state of Buddha. This is the form of preaching of the 'original doctrine' (Hon-mon) of the Saddharma-pu?^<iarika. NICHI-HEN-SHU. 141 In short, the character of the 'subordinate doctrine' (Shalui-roon) is to sum up all his speeches, and ex- plain the original intention of his appearance in the world, \Yhich is to cauf^e all men and women, whe- ther good or bad, strong or weak in understanding, to join Buddhism. It is also to make the distinc- tions of several teachings even, and show the wisdom of the one vehicle of Buddha which is just and equal. But the character of the 'original doctrine' (Hon-mon) is to show the origin of all beings, and the real state of enlightenment of the Buddhas of the three times, past, present and future. It also explains that all laws are good and all beings are Buddhas. The Bhagavat did not teach this excellent law of the original doctrine to the ordinary Bodhisattvas such as Msiugusii, Bhaisha^/yara^a (Yaku-o) and others. How much less did he teach it to the inferior disciples.^ He carefully instructed in this doctrine the Bcdhisattva Visish/aA'aritra (Jo-gyo) and some others who appeared on the earth. The place in which they were appointed to promulgate the law is this world Saha (Sha-ba) or 6'ambudvipa ; and the time is called either the Period of the Latter Day of the Law, the World of evir and corruption, or the Last 500 years. This is called the Special Instruction in the Original Doctrine of the Soddharma-pu?ic?a- rika. 142 NICHT-REN-SHU. (b) The Three Great Secret Laws. The important points of the doctrine of Kichi-ren's sect are called the Three Great Secret Laws or Doct- rines, which include all rules of Buddhism. In the chapter on the Duration of the Life of the Tathagata (Ju-ryo-hon) in the Sa(ldharma-pu72(iarika, Buddha spoke of the permanency of the three bodies of Bud- dha^ namely, 1. Dharma-kaya (Hosshin) or the ^spiri- tual body,' 2. Sa7?2bhoga-kaya (Ho-^hin) or the ^body of compensation/ and 3. Nirma?2a-kaya (0-ge-shin) or the body cajoable of transformation. This doctrine is the essence of the Sutra and the object of the appea- rance of Buddha in the world; so that it is taken to be the substance of the Three Great Secret Laws. In the Sutra there occurs the term ^tlie Tathagata's Secret Supernatural Power' (Nyo-rai-hi-m itsu-jin-dzu- shi-riki); whence the name of the Three Great Secret Laws. The Three Laws are the Hon-zon, Dai-moku, and Kai-dan of the Hou-mou, i. e. the chief Object of Worship, the Title of the sutra,and the Place for learning the Mia or moral precepts, all of which belong to the Original Doctrine. The substance of these is contained in the title of the Sutra which consists of the five Chinese characters, Myo-ho-ren-ge-kyo (Saddharma- pu??6?arika-sutra). We remember in our mind the chief object of worship, recite with our mouth the title of the Siitra, and keep in our body the place of XICHI-REN-SHU. 143 /S'ila, or simply moral precepts. First; the chief object of uori-hip (Hon-zon) of the Original Doctrir.e is the great IsUindixhi of the ten different worlds, which is the hcdy of Bi^ddlia, in whom the followers of the sect helleve. This Ma?zcZaIa re])resents the oiiginal Euddha of very remote times. This Buddha's ^sfiritnal Icdy' (HoF?hin) consists of the five elements (Taith, Water, Fire, Wind, and Ether) of the Dharmadhatu of ten regions. The five Skandhas or collections (Form, Perception, Name, Conception, and Knowdedge) of the Dharmadhatu of the ten regions form the nature of the 'body of com- pensation ' (Ho-shin) of this Bnddha. The six organs of sense of all beings of ten regions are the form of the 'body capable of transformation' (O-ge-shin) of this Buddha. The three actions (of B<idy, Speech, and thought) and the four dignified postures (of Going, Remaining, sitting, and Lying) of all beings are the actions of this Buddha. The wisdom and virtue of all sages and wise men of every region and the enlightenment of all Buddhas are the supernatur- al powers of this Buddha. All countries of every region are his dwelling-place. He is free from birth and death, even after passing through immeasurable Kalpas. He is the Buddha of permanency, without beginning and end. Tliis Buddha is called >S'akya- muni who truly accomplished his state of Buddha in very remote times (Ku-on-jitsu-j 6), or the 'original 144 NICHI-REN-SHtJ. Buddha of three bodies that do nothing' (Mu-sa-san- j in-no-hon-butsu). The ten worlds from the world of Buddhas down to that of hells, are all transformations of this origin al Buddha. The chief object of worship (Hon- zon) is the representation of this Buddha, so that the five characters of Myc-ho-ren-ge-hyo (Saddhama- pu??(iarika-sutra) are written down in the middle, around which the forms of the ten worlds are added to show the nature of the original Buddha. Now ^akyamuni said of hiniBelf, in the chapter on the duration of the Tathagata's life, that he was really this original Buddha. But not only was /Sakyamuni so, but even we ourselves are the same.